Lodi, workers agree to help avoid layoffs

LODI - City leaders and a union representing some 90 rank-and-file Lodi workers reached a tentative agreement Friday that officials said could spare employees from layoffs.

Daniel Thigpen

LODI - City leaders and a union representing some 90 rank-and-file Lodi workers reached a tentative agreement Friday that officials said could spare employees from layoffs.

Under the deal's terms, which the City Council still must approve later this month, city maintenance workers will be required to take six unpaid days off over the next four months.

Workers also will continue to receive city retirement contributions, which had been on the chopping block under a previous deal rejected by union members earlier this week.

City spokesman Jeff Hood said the new agreement is the last pending labor issue related to the city's efforts to close a $1.4 million budget gap.

Last week, the Lodi City Council approved a package of work force cuts estimated to shave about $780,000 off the deficit.

There were a variety of cuts: one-day-a-month furloughs for most nonpublic safety employees; pay reductions and reduced staffing levels for firefighters; and many other employees were set to stop seeing city contributions to their retirement accounts.

When the council approved the cuts, leaders of two labor groups - both represented by the union AFSCME - agreed to the deals, but their members hadn't yet ratified the terms.

Wednesday, one of those labor units, which represents city maintenance and other employees, rejected the proposed concessions. Surprised city officials said Thursday they were preparing to begin layoffs to save an estimated $111,000.

Union members held a new meeting Friday and agreed to take a new offer to the city, union business agent Felix Huerta said.

The City Council likely will consider the agreement at its March 18 meeting, Hood said.